The management of endometriosis-related infertility remains debated. However, in recent years, the role of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has progressively grown. Reasons to explain this change include (1) the improvement of the effectiveness and safety of IVF, (2) the raised awareness of the modest effectiveness of surgery, (3) the inherent risks of surgery including in particular the damage to the ovarian reserve when ovarian endometriomas have to be removed, (4) the ineffectiveness of intrauterine insemination and the possible risks of endometriosis progression associated with the use of this technique...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of mobile phone applications (apps) on glycemic control (HbA1c) in the self-management of diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Relevant studies that were published between 1 January 1996 and 1 June 2015 were searched from five databases: Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. Randomized controlled trials that evaluated diabetes apps were included. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) of the evidence...

BACKGROUND: Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) of the pancreas present a management conundrum. The majority are benign but all are resected due to their malignant potential. Recent studies have recommended nonsurgical management. In the current study, the authors analyzed the preoperative imaging, cytology, and cyst fluid characteristics of 136 histologically confirmed MCNs to assess predictors of a high-risk (HR) cyst for surgical triage. METHODS: MCNs resected at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 1990 and 2014 formed the study cohort...

Importance: As technology becomes more commonplace in dermatological practice, it is essential to continuously review the accuracy of teledermatology devices and services compared with in-person care. The last systematic review was conducted over 5 years ago. Objective: To synthesize and assess the quality of the evidence to address 3 research questions: (1) How accurate is teledermatology for skin cancer diagnosis compared with usual care (face-to-face [FTF] diagnosis)? (2) Does teledermatology save clinician and/or patient time, compared with usual care? (3) What are the enablers and barriers to adoption of teledermatology in clinical practice for the diagnosis of skin cancer? Evidence Review: The review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Value-based healthcare (VBHC) is considered to be the solution that will improve quality and decrease costs in healthcare. Many hospitals are implementing programs on the basis of this strategy, but rigorous scientific reports are still lacking. In this pilot study, we present the first-year outcomes of a VBHC program for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management that focuses on highly coordinated care, task differentiation of providers, and continuous home monitoring...

BACKGROUND: Brain injury leading to a persistent vegetative state during pregnancy involves difficult medical and ethical decisions. CASE: A 21-year-old multigravid woman entered a persistent vegetative state at 20 1/7 weeks of gestation after cardiac arrest with postanoxic brain injury from a suspected drug overdose. The clinical disciplines responsible for her case formed a collaborative care plan involving ventilator, nutrition, and medication support of the mother and regular fetal monitoring and ultrasound testing...

BACKGROUND: Cervical ectopic pregnancy can lead to catastrophic hemorrhage, and may be managed conservatively with intra-amniotic methotrexate (MTX), systemic MTX, or both; surgical evacuation with or without balloon tamponade; and uterine artery embolization. However, some patients require hysterectomy, which has traditionally been performed abdominally. CASE: A 39-year-old parous woman was diagnosed with cervical ectopic pregnancy at an estimated 7 1/7 weeks of gestation...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate feasibility and initial outcomes of fetoscopic tracheal occlusion for severe diaphragmatic hernia compared with a historical cohort who had not received fetal tracheal occlusion. METHODS: Outcomes in a prospective observational cohort who underwent fetoscopic tracheal occlusion for severe fetal left diaphragmatic hernia without associated anomalies were compared with our historical nontreated cohort of matched fetuses of similar severity. Fetuses were classified using the same ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging methodology-prospectively in the fetoscopic tracheal occlusion group and retrospectively in the historical nontreated cohort...

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how accountable care organizations (ACOs) participate with rural health providers. This pilot study examines ACO participation with rural health clinics (RHCs). METHODS: Telephone interviews with 8 ACO administrators were conducted to determine the early implementation experiences of these organizations, and their participation with rural health providers, such as RHCs, using qualitative content analysis, ACO characteristics, and emerging themes from the ACO executive responses was identified...

Acute stroke patients with dysphagia are at risk of developing pulmonary infection, which increases the risk of death. Therefore, optimal management of dysphagia is essential; however, available evidence supporting the effectiveness of dysphagia treatments is limited. Surface electrical stimulation (e-stim) has been developed as a new treatment modality for dysphagia. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of surface sensory e-stim therapy in preventing pulmonary infection in 53 acute stroke patients with dysphagia...

This systematic review with a meta-analysis of studies was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of robotic training (RT) and conventional training (CT) in improving the motor recovery of paretic upper limbs in stroke patients. Numerous electronic databases were searched from January 2000 to May 2016. Finally, 13 randomized-controlled trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the three meta-analyses. The first meta-analysis carried out for those studies using RT for stroke patients indicated a significant improvement in the RT groups...

BACKGROUND: Hepatic epithelioid hemangio-endothelioma (HEHE) is a rare vascular tumor which has an intermediate aggressive behavior. Although the value of liver transplantation (LT) is well established, its place in the management of HEHE is still unclear. The aim of this study is to confirm, based on a very large patient cohort, the value of LT in the management of HEHE and to identify risk factors for post-LT recurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: the outcome of 149 transplant recipients with HEHE recorded in the European Liver Transplant Registry during the period November1984-May 2014 was analyzed...

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery pathways allow for safe discharge and optimal outcomes within 48 hours after ileostomy closure. Unfortunately, some patients undergoing ileostomy closure have prolonged hospital stays. We have shown previously that the Modified Frailty Index can help predict patients who will fail early discharge after laparoscopic colorectal surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to use the Modified Frailty Index to identify patients who were safe for early discharge after ileostomy closure...

BACKGROUND: Double and triple stapling techniques to close the rectal stump in laparoscopic anterior resection are fraught with technical drawbacks that could possibly be avoided with the use of the single stapling technique. However, little is known of its safety in laparoscopic surgery or outcomes when combined with natural orifice specimen extraction. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the feasibility and the operative and immediate postoperative outcomes of single-stapled anastomosis and natural orifice specimen extraction with conventional techniques...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review discusses the current imaging modalities and criteria used to diagnose, and the role of liver transplantation as well as nonsurgical hepatic-directed therapies to treat hepatocellular carcinoma in the setting of chronic liver disease. RECENT FINDINGS: There has been continual evolution of guidelines, policies, and algorithms for the imaging diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patients with Stage D heart failure can benefit from palliative care consultation to help them manage unpleasant symptoms and improve quality of life. Although guidelines describe how to manage symptoms, very little direction is provided on how to evaluate the effectiveness of those interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: Numerous studies have used the measurement of symptoms, emotional distress, functional capacity and quality of life to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in heart failure...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The main aim of this review is to address and challenge an old nomenclature of reversible versus irreversible chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy. RECENT FINDINGS: Chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CRCD) has been often characterized as type I or type II. Type I CRCD (e.g., anthracycline) represents a group of chemotherapeutic agents that has often been correlated with irreversible cardiac dysfunction. Conversely, type II CRCD (e.g., trastuzumab) represents a group of anticancer agents that has been considered as reversible...

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a common condition in the emergency department (ED). Lactate measurement is an important part of management: arterial lactate (A-LACT) measurement is the gold standard. There is increasing use of peripheral venous lactate (PV-LACT); however, there is little research supporting the interchangeability of the two measures.If PV-LACT has good agreement with A-LACT, it would significantly reduce patient discomfort and the risks of arterial sampling for a large group of acutely unwell patients, while allowing faster and wider screening, with potential reduced costs to the healthcare system...

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive and usually fatal disease, and its optimal management is still under debate. Surgery for recurrent malignant mesothelioma has been reported rarely in highly selected cases. We report a case of chest wall resection for local recurrence of epithelioid mesothelioma 3 years after cytoreductive surgery. Our patient experienced a 6-month disease-free survival after redo surgery, with complete resolution of his chest pain and discomfort.

Disorders of diminished motivation, such as apathy, are common and prevalent across a wide range of medical conditions, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's dementia, stroke, depression, and schizophrenia. Such disorders have a significant impact on morbidity and quality of life, yet their management lacks consensus and remains unsatisfactory. Here, we review laboratory and clinical evidence for the use of dopaminergic therapies in the treatment of apathy. Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter that regulates motivated decision making in humans and other species...